1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to radiation shielding garments and, more particularly, to an adjustable shield assembly for protecting the breast of a patient from radiation, especially during the radiographic examination of the spinal column.
2. Summary of Related Art
In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on physical screening programs in schools for the early detection of scoliosis. Adolescents whose scoliosis has been identified through such non-radiographic physical examinations often require follow-up surveillance with periodic x-ray evaluation throughout their final growth years. In addition, females have been found to comprise roughly two-thirds of the positive scoliosis population which requires such follow-up treatment. This has led to a progressive increase in the number of x-ray examinations of the spinal column of adolescent females.
It is known that the breast is at greater risk for the development of radiation-induced breast cancer during adolescence than at any other time of life. Unfortunately, that is precisely the period when x-rays are necessary to guide the treatment of scoliosis and provide follow-up information. Increasingly, there are concerns regarding the potential for the development of breast cancer associated with radiation exposure during such periodic x-ray examinations. It is therefore very important to minimize the radiation exposure to the breast, as well as to other radiosensitive organs such as the lymph nodes in the axillary region, during the radiographic examination of the spinal column of scoliosis patients.
Breast shielding is one relatively simple method of directly minimizing the exposure of the breast tissue to radiation during such radiographic examinations. The breast shielding devices used previously have generally been comprised of a strip of a flexible radiation shielding material which is draped around the back of the neck of the patient. One end of the shield lies over one breast and the other end lies over the other breast of the patient. Such breast shields, while providing generally effective anterior shielding of the breasts, lack lateral and posterior shielding, and are therefore ineffective in protecting against any back-scattered radiation. Further, since female adolescent scoliosis patients may be of widely different sizes, multiple breast shields of varying sizes are required in order to obtain a proper fit for every patient.